


not quite together

by Areiton



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Derek Hale is a good friend, Getting Together, M/M, Pre-Slash, Stiles is a grinch
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-26 18:26:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17146811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Areiton/pseuds/Areiton
Summary: Stiles doesn’t celebrate holidays.





	not quite together

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas!! I wrote y'all a thing. And if you don't celebrate--this is especially for you. <3

Stiles doesn’t celebrate holidays. 

He hasn’t since he was nine, the year after his mother died, the year his dad was drowning in grief and a bottle, and he stopped being a child. 

He doesn’t mention it much--smiles when Scott mentions his plans, nods along while Lydia describes her Christmas party. He listens to the pack as they talk, and he makes his noncommittal responses, and avoids his dad’s eyes because after all this time, he thinks dad  _ knows _ why Stiles ignores the holidays, and it bothers him. 

Besides--he has a routine now. 

~*~ 

The cabin is quiet and a little dusty and Stiles sneezes as he busies himself cleaning up, dragging the drop sheets off the couch, wiping down the counters, shoving food into the pantry and fridge, starting a fire in the fireplace. 

He has a stack of books, no cell service and no plans to leave for four days. It’s not traditional, and sometimes he thinks he  _ is _ the Grinch Scott accuses him of being, because hiding from your friends and family to avoid Christmas is kinda shitty--but it works. 

~*~ 

He’s just finished making a pot of chili when he hears it. 

A wolf, howling, the sharp rise of it cutting through the cold wind. Stiles pauses, and looks out the tiny window. The forest isn’t covered in snow yet, but it’s been spitting flurries all day, and he thinks he’ll be snowed in when he wakes up and it’s vaguely concerning that Derek might be out there in the cold. 

“Idiot sourwolf,” he says, softly and makes a second bowl. 

~*~ 

He’s halfway through his first book when he hears footsteps and scratches at his door. 

He huffs a little, but there’s this--

If Christmas is hard as a Stilinski who lost one person--how much harder must it be for Derek fucking Hale. 

He stands up,  opens the door, and a massive black wolf slinks in with the snow. 

~*~ 

Derek doesn’t shift, and Stiles doesn’t really acknowledge what’s happening. 

He reads aloud and Derek tucks himself between Stiles and the back of the couch, or along his back on the bed, head resting over Stiles shoulder. 

He sleeps with the door open, and the wolf sprawled in front of the fireplace inevitably wakes in Stiles’ bed. 

When Stiles goes for walks in the evening, the wolf ambles cautiously at his side, until Stiles starts talking about his mother, and then he presses close to Stiles, a whine caught in his throat. 

They don’t talk--but then they never have spent a lot of time talking. 

Derek, is no good at it, and Stiles uses his words as a weapon to distract and to hurt. 

So maybe, not talking is good. But for all that, Stiles thinks Derek is hearing everything Stiles isn’t saying. 

~*~ 

He doesn’t go for a walk on Christmas. He stays in bed with all of the Harry Potter books and reads until he’s hoarse, and Derek stay pressed against him, his eyes bright and steady as he watches Stiles. 

~*~ 

On the twenty-seventh, Stiles packs up his stuff, and carries it to the Jeep, covers the couches and bed with dust covers, and turns off the power and water. The wolf sits at the door and watches him, and Stiles hesitates. 

“I’m glad you found me,” he says, finally and Derek gives a slow thump of his tail. 

Stiles rubs over his ears once, before he goes to the Jeep and climbs inside. 

“If I had to spend it with anyone--I’m glad I spent Christmas with you,” he says, softly, knowing Derek can hear. 

He doesn’t look back as he cranks the Jeep and pulls away. 

~*~ 

That night, when he checks his phone and gets rid of all the calls and texts from the pack while he was gone, all the well-wishes and nonsense--he finds one text from Derek that was sent today. 

 

**_December 27, 6:34_ **

**_Sourwolf:_ **

**_Want to spend another holiday together? New Years, maybe? I’ll bring the champagne. You bring the book._ **

 

Stiles smiles. 

  
  



End file.
